Man Utd 'expected' Benjamin Sesko to struggle – and it could shape future transfers

Robin Bairner

3 Nov 2025 03:27 CST
4 min read

Manchester United splashed out on Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig this summer, despite “expecting” a slow start from the Slovakia striker, according to a transfer expert.

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Sesko emerged as Man Utd’s top target for the No.9 role this summer and moved to Old Trafford after deals for Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were completed.

While the centre-forward’s two new striking colleagues have hit the ground running in Manchester, that’s not been the case for the 22-year-old. Across 11 games in all competitions, Sesko has netted only two goals.

Current ETV

Benjamin Šeško

F (C)

Man Utd

Benjamin Šeško

F (C)

Man Utd

ETV Range

€68.9M - €84.2M

United, though, are unperturbed by this sluggish start – despite spending more than €76m on the attacker in what is one of the biggest signings in club history.

Transfer insider Dean Jones explained to TeamTalk: “The performances of Cunha and Mbeumo compared to Sesko so far help us to understand why United have this view that signings from within the Premier League are preferable.

“They very clearly identified Mbeumo and Cunha as having traits and data that were repeatable and consistent. Sesko has not been as good as those two so far and to some extent that was expected.”

Sesko’s overall performances have led to doubts over his long-term ability to lead the line for the Red Devils, with Gary Neville questioning the value of the deal.

Sesko struggles point to Anderson as a transfer target

Man Utd’s experience with Sesko is likely to dictate their actions in the transfer market in the future, particularly when seeking a central midfielder to bolster Ruben Amorim’s ranks.

And that means that Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is likely to become an especially attractive option.

“I really do think this is why they continue to look at players like Antoine Semenyo, who is consistently good, as well as players like Anderson at Forest. The fact they are at smaller clubs like Cunha and Mbeumo is also important,” Jones says.

© IMAGO - Elliott Anderson, Nottingham Forest

“The problem, of course, is that any signing within the Premier League has its own issues in terms of how much you have to pay.”

In the case of their forwards, Man Utd actually spent more on Sesko than they did on Cunha, who had a release clause at Wolves, or Mbeumo, a deal that the Red Devils took weeks to get over the line.

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